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Playoffs inch closer with
win
S.J. knocks off depleated Stars
4/9/06
- by Mike Lee
San Jose's 4-1 win over the Dallas Stars was
an important step for the Sharks who are attempting to qualify for the
playoffs, but the team shouldn't place their order for Championship rings quite
yet. Yes, Dallas is almost assured of the second seed in the up coming
playoffs, but the three goal margin of victory for the Sharks didn't come
against Dallas' A-team.
Mike Modano missed his second consecutive game because of a knee injury and
defenseman Willie Mitchell was also a scratch, so the Stars were without a
couple of key pieces of firepower. Add to the equation that there isn't much
motivation for the Stars to win games right now, the Sharks victory should be
taken with a grain of salt.
"We thought they might be a little weary, especially this time of year, and
psychologically they can go up or down," Sharks head coach Ron Wilson said.
"You want to jump a team like that as quickly as you can, and we had a lot of
energy."
It was a game the Sharks needed to win, and when the opposition hands you ten
power play opportunities, you'd better capitalize. San Jose took that high
road and converted on two of those opportunities and kept the Stars from
mounting any serious attacks on the lead once the Sharks took control in the
2nd period.
After Steve Bernier staked San Jose to an early lead with his 13th of the
season, Patrick Rissmiller provided all the offense the Sharks would need with
a power play goal five minutes into the middle period.
Sergei Zubov countered with the Stars lone tally on a 5-on-3 chance after Mark
Smith and Josh Gorges were whistled for separate tripping infractions just 9
seconds apart.
The Sharks scoring leaders then took things into their own hands. Jonathan
Cheechoo scored his 49th of the season on a one-timer from the slot.
Cheechoo's linemate Joe Thornton setup the goal with one of the best passes of
the season. Fighting off a defender behind the Stars goal, Thornton kept
control of the puck along the end boards, before flipping a blind backhand pass
to Cheechoo who one timed the shot past Marty Turco.
Patrick Marleau would push the Sharks lead to three goals with his 34th of the
season on another pass from Thornton. The Sharks captain was parked just
outside the left post, when Thornton fired a diagonal pass through the slot
from the top of the right circle.
"I should have had a couple of goals earlier with (Thornton)," said Marleau.
"I'm glad he stuck with me and found me the third time."
Marleau buried Thornton's pass for this 84th point of the season, tying him
with Owen Nolan for the franchise record for most points in a season. The goal
was also Marleau's 20th power play goal of the season, which is a franchise
record. Thornton broke an NHL record for most points by a single player who
had played for more than one team in a season.
Vesa Toskala turned aside 21 of 22 shots to earn his 20th victory of the
season.
"You put a desperate team on the power play nine times in the first two
periods, and you are going to get what you earn," Dallas coach Dave Tippett
said. "The referees were a non-factor tonight. It was all us."
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1 |
2 |
3 |
T |
| DAL |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
| SJ |
1 |
3 |
0 |
4 |
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| 1st period - 1, San Jose, Bernier 13 (Goc,
Thornton), 6:44. |
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| 2nd period -
2, San Jose, Rissmiller 3 (Ehrhoff, Stevenson), 4:47, (pp).
3, Dallas, Zubov 13 (Jokinen, Boucher), 12:14, (pp).
4, San Jose, Cheechoo 49 (Thornton), 14:03.
5, San Jose, Marleau 34 (Thornton, Preissing), 15:47, (pp). |
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| 1st period - Daley, DAL, double minor
(high-sticking), 1:21; Arnott, DAL (hooking), 11:14. |
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| 2nd period - Barnes, DAL (hooking), 0:56;
Guerin, DAL (high-sticking), 2:58; Smith, SJS (tripping), 11:44; Gorges, SJS
(tripping), 11:53; Turco, DAL, served by Guerin (roughing), 14:36; Klemm, DAL
(tripping), 14:36; Ott, DAL, double-minor-misconduct (roughing, holding),
16:56. |
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| 3rd period - Turco, DAL, served by Miettinen
(interference), 8:35; Smith, SJS (tripping), 14:14. |
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Shots |
Saves |
| DAL - Turco |
36 |
32 |
| SJ - Toskala |
22 |
21 |
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1 |
2 |
3 |
T |
| DAL |
4 |
6 |
12 |
22 |
| SJ |
12 |
20 |
4 |
36 |
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| Referees: Brad Meier, Kelly Sutherland. Linesmen:
Darren Gibbs, Andy McElman. |
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